Comments

As one of those who makes fun of people who promote abstinance, I can answer your question – I can do it because I regard those people as either promoting rules which became obsolete with the invention of the condom, or for being obcessed with a strange, supernatural ritual purity.

ha! condoms have not made abstinence irrelevant – since when are condoms foolproof? That view also ignores the emotional aspect as “sleeping around”.

Committing yourself to one person is not a “strange supernatural ritual purity”. It is a healthy way to live – emotionally and physically. I certainly believe consenting adults can do whatever they want with their bodies (with a corresponding raise in the age of consent preferably), however they should also take responsibility for the natural results that can occur.

“Committing yourself to one person is not a “strange supernatural ritual purity”. It is a healthy way to live – emotionally and physically.”

When abstinance supporters frequently hold ‘purity balls’ and talk about ‘re-virgins’, and throw around the word ‘purity’ so much, and can’t go more than ten minutes without feeling a need to quote the bible, this all combines to give a very different impression. I’m sure there are many people who really do support abstinance until marriage as a social policy grounded in their evaluation of physical evidence, but their voices are burried beneath the loud cries of the God Squad.

Where are you getting your information from, Suricou? Just who are these abstinence supporters who hold purity balls twice a month and can’t go for ten minutes without quoting the Bible? Are they people you know? Or are they some gross caricature that you’ve co-opted from a combination of television and hardcore feminist writing?

I grew up attending Catholic mass once a week, attended youth group for the four years of high school, and led a couple of retreats during my university years. I wasn’t actively involved in encouraging chastity, but had two close friends who were part of a group that went around to high schools and talked to students about chastity.

What I’m trying to say is I grew up well-grounded in a culture that encourages abstinence, and the only person I know who had a purity ring was a friend of a friend of my cousin who lives a twelve hour drive away.

The culture that encourages chastity is seriously misrepresented in the mainstream media.

I typed up a very long response to you, Melissa. Unfortunatly it’s so laden with sexual words, the spam-filter won’t let it through :>

Anyway, it was nothing but my going on a quote-mineing trip digging up lots of quotes from Christian ministries and political organisations talking about the terrible evils of sex, pornography and masturbation.

I do envision a caricature. But it’s one based upon my own experience of internet debates, and of reading a lot of Christian material. I’m on several mailing lists. I may not be a believer, but religion facinates me. As do it’s adherents.

“Even couples who are not talking or touching can be reprimanded. Sabrina Poirier, a student at Pensacola who withdrew in 1997, was disciplined for what is known on the campus as “optical intercourse” – staring too intently into the eyes of a member of the opposite sex. This is also referred to as “making eye babies.” While the rule does not appear in written form, most students interviewed for this article were familiar with the concept.”